I go every year just to see some of the new stuff and to "test" ride some of the new rigs on the market. you can get some cool deals on stuff even though the stuff may not be the newest models (clothes /gear).

I also do the City of Angels Ride. if you haven't ridden LA then this might be something worth doing along with the expo all in one day. i think that would be the only way that it would be worth the drive.

It's nothing close to being on the scale of Interbike. So if are expecting that, then you will be disappointed. You have some major brands, like Specialzed and Giant with booths. Many small accessories makers like SweetSkinz Tires and that company that make the locking skewers show up too.

There is an indoor test course that they setup with dirt brought in to the convention floor.

Some of the mail order houses like Cambria Bikes usually bring down stuff to clear out like older forks and such.

pass

honestly I wouldn't recommend the long drive for this show. It's continually frustrating to live in such an enormous city and see such a pitiful turnout of exhibitors. Unless the Diabetes Foundation or the City of Brianhead, UT are booths you really need to see. It seems more designed for novices learning about cycling than *us* experienced riders.

If you're local though, you might find some good deals on tires, clothing, etc.

I just came from the expo, unfortunately, the size of the event has dwindled significantly.

I noticed this right from the beginning when i noticed it was at a smaller hall. i'll be doing the ride regardless. i can now say the expo is not worth the drive from SD. Makes you wonder when companies like Specialized, Trek and Cannondale are not there.

What a waste

I drove 40 minutes and paid 9 bucks to go to a second hand bike shop.Seriously any little LBS would have more products on display then this venue. I did buy a helmet and some tires,but the deals were the same as I could have got at a bike store.I doubt if they'll even have it next year. It might help to move the location and get more of the majors envolved.No TREK, Shimano,Cannondale,SRAM, or any suspension companies.None of the major bike lines except a half attempt by Giant. I can't help but think that an event like Sea Otter in SoCal could be the biggest event in all of biking if it was done the right way.

Love that furry bike HW.

I may not be as good as I once was.
But I'm as good once, as I ever was.
Toby Keith

ride & Expo review

Originally Posted by mtnbikerdude87

Could it be because of the Sea Otter event last week that most of the vendors didnt have time to get down here?

Nope. After seeing the Expo I firmly believe that it corrects its size based on demand, and demand must be very mediocre. I hit the targeted booths and was outta there in no time. Steve the Nokian tire guy, the WTB booth, a quick stop at Polar HRM, and picked up a pair of Crocs The Calfee booth was far and away the nicest stuff there and they stand out like a sore thumb amidst the other vendors.

As for the ride, there were highlights and lowlights. High: nice casual touring pace and get to see sights of L.A. that you usually blow by in a car or would never venture to that part of town to see anyways. Low: LAPD was out like the freakin gestapo, pacing the ride, keeping everyone corraled into a tight pack (can't pass the lead cops), and moto cops buzzed the left of the group about every 1/4 mile announcing "STAY RIGHT!!" on the loudspeaker. Dude. I get it. Chill with the sirens - "BWOOOP!" and the barking of orders.

I'm positive that every moto and bicycle cop was assigned to this ride today. They may have even recruited more for it. I'm pretty sure I saw Nevada, Washington and Arizona PD too. OK maybe not... The bright side to that was that we only stopped for maybe 2 intersections the entire 38 miles, much to the frustration of many a motorist. How often does that happen??? . Great if you're new to cycling. Crappy if you know you can handle yourself on the roads and want to cut loose. Lots of newbie wrecks, hopefully nothing too serious for anyone that went down hard. Overall a nice ride, just a little *cramped*.

Got to meet "Epic Mtn Biker" too after the ride. Cool dude.

later
HW

PS - "yo!" to the bicycle cop that knew my fur bike from these forums! He hangs out on the Vintage/Retro boards. Nice.

There is an indoor test course that they setup with dirt brought in to the convention floor.

Not anymore they don't. Test track was flat and no dirt.

As others have stated the show was quite small compared to previous years and pretty much svcked. Of course it doesn't help when the venue organizors raise the prices for the exhibitors to astonomical prices. I would expert next year to be worse, allot of the vendors I spoke with weren't to happy about the extra $$$ spent and overall interest showed.

Sunday's ride was pretty casual up to the point near the ranger station in Griffith Park where a traffic cop announced "you're on your own from the point forward", and riders were directed to loop back via the climb behind the golf course and zoo. That's when my participation ended by returning downtown via Riverside. How did the ride conclude? Was it a reverse of the outbound ride?

The expo was depressing. Not only were there too few vendors, found Nevegals were priced about half what I paid 1 week earlier at the lbs.

huh?

Originally Posted by Downhill Dawg

That's when my participation ended by returning downtown via Riverside. How did the ride conclude? Was it a reverse of the outbound ride?

how did that happen? From what I could tell they had the entire group together after the zoo, including at least 10 minutes of us all being stopped waiting to cross Los Feliz. It was not a reverse route, we did a loop. We came back into downtown from the north near Chinatown.

how did that happen? From what I could tell they had the entire group together after the zoo, including at least 10 minutes of us all being stopped waiting to cross Los Feliz. It was not a reverse route, we did a loop. We came back into downtown from the north near Chinatown.

Think I was with a group of riders after the dry toilet/fruit stop that took off first. LAPD didn't dictate the pace so the lead road bikers pushed the speed. After reading your post, can only guess that the first group circled behind the zoo to the travel town 4way stop and at some point thereafter met up with the others.
I do know to never again try and keep pace on the flats with road bikes when all I have are 26" wheels and a 46t chainring. It doesn't work.

Hey HW, "Yo!" back at you. And yes, there was a break-away group allowed after the rest stop at Ford Theater. Those that wanted to push the pace up a bit went out after a 5 minute rest, while the rest of the pack went out after 20 minutes. The break-away goal was to hit Griffith park and crank out as many laps as possible before the tail of the main pack caught up. Theoretically, it was to give the faster guys about 45 minutes to air it out a bit, and still keep a minimal rolling roadblock to stop car traffic.

Last year I volunteered at the event so I could get in for
free. I even got a free t-shirt.
Well, the event blew and the free t-shirt was lame- I never
wear it.
Bottom line, it was a waste of time.
Didn't even know it happened this year.

I had attended the expo every year since it started but missed this year's due to prior engagement. Last year we slammed the show and I see nothing has changed this year. My question to everyone is this...in an area with as many people as we have, and so many interested in riding some kind of bike, why don't we support this event? And when I say "we" I am refering to cycling media, manufacturers, distributors, cyclists, etc. etc...everyone.
Is it the overhead of being in the convention center? too soon after Sea Otter? the waning enthusiasm in the cycling industry? the swap-meet mentality? parking? Los Angeles?
I love cycling and have most of my life so I cannot understand how this event can get run into the ground. If it is too expensive for small vendors then move it, all of the big guys were small guys once, give them a chance. Change the date so that more new products will be on display after Interbike, make it more of a festival than an expo to celebrate all that is good in cycling, get rid of the bargain-basement blow out my old dead inventory vendors so that the LBS's will help support and promote it.
I need this event, So Cal needs this event and it needs to be bigger, greater, flashier, or it will be gone and right now nobody will miss it.